The $500k Gap We’re All Facing — And Where the Money Is

Sep 12

Written By Every Fire Survivor's Network

Sep 12 2025

Dear friends,

Last Friday’s First Friday dinner was such a joy! Thank you for showing up to laugh, cry, and share our wins. The connections we're building among survivors is at the heart of EFSN. One member told me that checking our Discord every night feels like “a warm hug before sleep.” That about sums it up. Thousands of survivors, connecting every day. It’s beautiful.

But let’s be real: hugs don’t rebuild houses.

To recover, we need money. Billions, with a capital B.

Most of us are staring at a massive gap between what we have and what it will actually cost to rebuild or remediate. So where does that money come from? Three places.

1. Philanthropy.

We are so grateful to partners like the California Community Foundation, the Pasadena Community Foundation, and to the many others who have had our backs.

And for those of you who saw the LA Times piece this week, Fire Aid’s audits came back clean — no misuse of funds, and “aid is reaching affected communities.”

But philanthropy alone can’t fill a $500k or $1M gap for every one of us.

2. Federal aid.

This one surprised us all.

Last night’s webinar with SBA’s Corey Williams was practical, emotional, and even a little exhilarating.

We thought the SBA loan deadline passed March 31.

Wrong. You can still apply in person in Altadena or the Palisades — but you must give a reason for your delay, whether caring for a loved one, trauma, or whatever your truth is.

We thought the loan cap was $500k.

Wrong again. Homeowners can receive up to $1.5M. Renters can get $100k unsecured. Small businesses? $2M.

We thought rates were fixed.

They’re not. If your rate is higher than 2.563%, you can appeal. If your mortgage rate is higher, you might be able to refinance with an SBA loan at 2.563%.

SBA has already sent out $3.2 billion to Eaton and Palisades survivors. Billions more are still available.

If you have any gap at all, watch the replay. Apply. If you’ve already applied, modify your loan to reflect what you really need.

Watch now: https://www.efsurvivors.net/expert-resources

3. Insurance.

Insurance companies owe us billions in benefits we already paid for in full. Instead of honoring their contracts, they’re dragging their feet. Delays, denials, underpayments — all of it is illegal. And we’re done putting up with it.

Delays, denials, underpayments — it’s all illegal. And we’re done putting up with it.

This Tuesday, September 16, I’m hosting a special webinar with Consumer Watchdog. You’ll meet:

Harvey Rosenfield, Founder and author of Prop 103
Carmen Balber, Executive Director
Will Pletchett, Litigation Director

We’ll break down what Prop 103 actually does, what’s really happening in the billion-dollar State Farm hearings, and what it will take to get insurers to do what they’re supposed to do: pay us what we’re owed so we can rebuild.

We’re going to learn, we’re going to laugh, and we’re going to get what we’re owed.

SBA Webinar Recap

Last night’s webinar with SBA’s Corey Williams was packed with surprises.

What we thought we knew about SBA loans was almost all wrong. Here are just some of the topics Corey covered:

Can fire survivors still apply after the “deadline”? Yes.
How do you actually reach the $1.5M cap for homeowners?
What counts as a “verified loss” — and how do you dispute it?
How to get SBA to cover industrial hygienist testing and remediation?
Are ADUs covered — or not?
What options do renters have?
How does SBA handle insurance delays and denials?
What expenses aren’t covered — and where else to look for help?
What to do if your loan officer isn’t responsive?

We were shocked by how much help is still available, and left hopeful.

👉 Watch the webinar, get the slides, and download the home-hardening guide here: https://www.efsurvivors.net/expert-resources

Then join us in the FEMA-SBA Discord channel where we’re comparing notes and helping each other apply what we learned:
👉 https://discord.gg/JTmDRkSEMQ

Grateful to Cherry Lee and Felix Landerer for masterfully moderating the SBA webinar, and for their leadership in our FEMA-SBA Discord channel.

Around the Discord

Altadena is Rebuilding! Over 1,600 permit applications have been filed just 8 months in. Thanks, Morgan Z, for contributing this great news!

How to Vote in the November 4 Election if You’re Displaced:

Ballots do NOT get forwarded with your regular mail. Thank you, Toni, for contributing instructions on how to update your temporary mailing address to election officials. Here's her full guide:

https://discordapp.com/channels/1327336733456470046/1370233225695199294/1415781271367450817

What Info Do You Need to Rebuild?

We’re creating a new Rebuilding Webinar Series to answer the biggest questions on your mind, from permits to contractors to financing. Tell us what you most want covered. It’s just 2 quick questions. Your input will shape the series for all of us. Thank you!

Here's the link:
https://forms.gle/T7hujjih6UBviUKTA

Are you a FAIR Plan Smoke Damage Survivor?

We’ve heard that the California Department of Insurance is starting to close out FAIR Plan smoke damage complaints, without resolving them.

Have you received a letter saying your case is being closed?

If yes, please email a copy of your letter to: hello@efsurvivors.net

This will help us, as a community, track what’s happening with our CDI complaints. Thank you.

Upcoming Events

This Tuesday: Consumer Watchdog Live: Inside the Fight for Our Insurance Rights

Join EFSN and Consumer Watchdog for a critical conversation about how we push back against insurance industry abuses and protect our rights as policyholders.

We’ll cover: